Peeling fruits and vegetables in the kitchen can be laborious, and this can be made even worse when you are using a dull peeler.
Having the right peeler at home can make the process so much easier, and you might actually end up enjoying the therapeutic repetition that is endless peeling.
So how do you choose between a serrated or straight peeler? Which one is better? The easiest way to settle this debate is to state that it is completely up to personal preference, and which fruit or vegetables you will be peeling most often. Both serrated and straight peelers bought from good, trusted brands are sure to last you a long time in the kitchen and give you endless effortless peeling sessions.
To help you decide which would be better for you, here is a breakdown on both serrated and straight peelers.
Serrated Peelers
Serrated peelers have small ridges along the blade, like tiny little teeth, similar to what you would find on a bread knife.
Serrated peelers are great to use for softer vegetables and fruits, such as peaches and tomatoes. The serrated edges gently cut into the skin and ensure that the peeler does not tear apart the fruit or vegetable.
If you find yourself peeling softer items at home, a serrated peeler will save you tons of wasted produce.
Other than working well on softer fruit and vegetables, serrated peelers can easily peel the skin off harder produce, such as pumpkins and apples, and allows you to be a little firmer with your push when peeling these items.
Here are some of the best-serrated peelers to add to your kitchen tool kit at home:
1. OXO Good Grips Prep Serrated Y-Peeler
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The OXO Good Grips Serrated Peeler is perfect to use for peeling tomatoes, peaches, and other soft produce without causing bruising or tearing.
The peeler has a compact Y-design which is comfortable to hold, and easy to maneuver, allowing you to use it with every grip.
The handle has an ergonomic non-slip design, preventing any accidents in the kitchen.
Sharp and durable stainless steel blades will not rust and remain sharp after continued use. It is dishwasher safe and easy to clean.
For reliability, durability, and effectiveness, this is one of the better serrated peelers out there.
2. Kuhn Rikon Serrated Piranha
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The horizontal blades on the Kuhn Rikon Serrated Peeler help to easily peel smooth-skinned fruit and vegetables, getting the job done quickly and easily.
The serrated blade is made from stainless-steel and bites easily into both smooth and fuzzy skin, peeling the skin off in thin, smooth strips.
Made from plastic, the handle is ergonomically designed to be easy to grip, and the whole peeler can be washed in the dishwasher. The additional hole in the handle allows it to be hung conveniently in the kitchen.
Simple and effective, this nifty peeler will have soft fruit grated perfectly each time.
3. Messermeister Pro-Touch Serrated Swivel Peeler
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The serrated blade on the Pro Touch Serrated Peeler allows you to grip wet vegetables and peel them easily and helps with peeling soft-skinned produce such as kiwi, tomatoes, grapes, ginger and more.
The Touch Gadget line is highly rated, and the precision tool has a large soft-grip handle and precision head which tackle each task with ease.
Made from thick gauge, high quality 18-8 stainless steel, the blade will not rust, bend or become deformed after use.
With a comfortable non-slip, soft hand, the serrated peeler can be used by both left and right-hand users. If you are left-handed and are often chopping veggies in the kitchen, check out our list of the best left-handed kitchen knives.
The latest technology in kitchen tools and quality materials make this one of the most sought after peelers on the market.
Straight Peelers
Straight peelers are ideal for everyday peeling when you spend more time peeling carrots and potatoes compared to softer fruits and vegetables. Straight peelers have sharp blades that slice easily into firmer produce, allowing you to peel the skin away with little waste of the vegetable or fruit flesh inside.
Straight peelers can also be used to slice thin slithers of vegetables or fruit for a salad, or to add some decoration to a plate.
A straight peeler will be your go-to tool in the kitchen, effortlessly slicing peels and skins off of nearly all fruit and vegetables.
These are the three best straight peelers to try.
1. Paderno World Cuisine Potato Peeler
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The Paderno World Cuisine Potato Peeler is the ideal straight peeler to keep in your kitchen. It is made from professional quality materials and stainless steel, allowing it to retain a sharp blade, and to remain durable after continued use.
The straight peeler is perfect for zucchini, apples, cucumbers, and obviously potatoes, easily slicing the peel off of harder fruit and vegetables.
Sturdy construction allows for you to get precise peeling, with a comfortable, non-slip grip that does not allow for any accidents.
With the best quality materials and sharp blade, you can’t go wrong with the straight peeler from Paderno.
2. Global Classic Stainless Steel Vegetable Peeler
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Made from Cromova 18 stainless steel, the blade of this straight peeler is strong, sharp and durable. However, it still manages to be lightweight and perfectly balanced for easy use.
The ergonomic hollow handle is filled with sand, to ensure the grip and maneuvering of the peeler is as comfortable and effortless as possible. Added to this are slip-resistant grips with a dimple (yes, dimple) design for sturdier handling.
It can be used to slice fruits and vegetables of the harder variety, peeling them in little time.
3. Joseph Joseph Multi-Peel Straight Peeler
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The Joseph Joseph Peeler is perfect to use for everyday peeling, and will easily peel and thinly slice harder produce in the kitchen.
A stainless-steel straight-edge blade is sharp and durable, not breaking or bending during use. Along with the high-quality blade is the easy-grip handle that stops slipping and pain during prolonged peeling.
The peeler also has a tough scraping blade, as well as a potato eye remover to get rid of any unwanted spots on different fruits and vegetables.
With a protective blade cover and being dishwasher safe, this peeler will last a long time as your trusted go-to tool in the kitchen.
Related Questions
What is a Y peeler?
A Y peeler is named after its shape. A Y shaped peeler has a sharp, stainless steel blade across a Y shaped handle. This allows for an easy grip of the peeler while it glides through tough fruit and vegetables easily.
The soft and comfortable handles often found with Y peelers help to cushion the hand as it peels, and with a non-slip material, it is safe to use even when hands are wet.
Alternatively, you could use a straight shaped peeler, which is an elongated handle with one side having the peeler blade built-in. While some people may be used to using straight peelers like this back in the day, Y peelers are much more popular for home use now.
Both Y peelers and straight shaped peelers can have either straight blades or serrated blades, as it does not matter what shape peeler these blades are set into in order to work effectively.
Can you sharpen a peeler?
Yes, you can sharpen a peeler, both straight edge or serrated. You can do this by running the tip of a paring knife across the edge of each blade of the peeler, with the metal on metal action restoring the edge and sharpness of the peeler.
Which is the best peeler to keep in the kitchen?
Once again, the best peeler will be up to what you will be using it most often for in the kitchen. The peelers mentioned above are the best in their category and are trusted by users, so they are definitely worth a try.
Straight Vs Serrated
There is no clear cut winner between straight or serrated peelers. It is completely up to what you peel most often in your kitchen, and if you find that you cut both soft and hard fruits and vegetables often, why not get one of each?
Choosing a good quality peeler will save you so much frustration and time in the kitchen, and you might even end up enjoying peeling all those carrots and potatoes!
Make sure to choose a peeler that has a stainless steel blade, a non-slip handle and which is preferably dishwasher safe. This will ensure that the blade will last longer, be sharper, more durable and be more hygienic.
The grip which the peeler has also makes a huge difference as to how comfortable it is to use over prolonged periods. Ergonomically designed peelers do not tire out your hands easily and offer a more comfortable experience while peeling.
A peeler is an absolute necessity to have in the kitchen, and a good quality peeler will help you achieve as little waste as possible, whether it be straight or serrated. The choice is yours!
